The Delfe Treasure

22. Westward

"Very good. My thoughts as well." Aldrick looked at transit board, the compass and then aft across the quarter. "Come a point to port. Steer northwest-by-north."

"Aye, Sir. Port to northwest-by-north." 

When Elizabeth had settled on her new course, Aldrick said, "Another half point to port. Let us see how far westward she is comfortable."

"Aye, Sir. Port half a point to northwest, half north." 

They both assessed the motion after the ship had altered course, then Aldrick said, "Find the balance between westings and safety. Half a point at a time."

"Aye, Sir. Half point at a time."

A quarter-hour later, Elizabeth had settled again on northwest, half west, having found northwest by west too unstable. The Master had joined them to direct sail adjustments, then all three watched in silence as they assessed the ship's motion, sensing it beneath their feet.

Finally, Aldrick spoke, "I will be below. Call me when it appears safe to unfurl the forecourse."

"Aye, Sir," was chorused by the Master and the Officer of the Watch.

Elizabeth was seated by the stern windows when Aldrick arrived in the great cabin, and she pointed out through them as he neared. "We have changed course. The waves are at a lesser angle."

"We are now half a point west of northwest. That is as far as we dare to not broach."

"Broach?"

"Being slewed around suddenly and quickly to fall broadside down the face of an overtaking wave, putting us over onto beam ends."

"Oh!" She raised a hand to her mouth. "That does not sound pleasant."

"Everything not secured goes flying across — falls — to the low side, including the crew. Dangerous. It is best to keep our quarter to seas such as these and maintain as much speed as we can through the water."

She nodded. "Without shredding the sails. Are we still under only the jib and staysail?"

"We are. But if this continues easing, we can soon unfurl and clew the forecourse."

"I still need to learn the use of each sail. How far north have we gone?"

"Not that far. I estimate the sails pulled us at four knots or so, and we likely drifted two knots westward in the wind. With the two and a half knots of westerly current and our steering north-northwest, we will have made good a course closer to west-northwest. I do not think we have lost as much as a degree and a half of latitude."

He assisted her up out of the chair and across the cabin to the chart table where he pulled the plot from the drawer and spread it out. "Here is our estimated position when we altered north."

"A day and a half past now. How do we find our position?"

"We must continue dead reckoning, but now with neither direction nor speed since we altered. Best guesses only."

Elizabeth held onto the chart table and Aldrick as the ship lurched, then when it steadied, she pointed to the plot. "Why did we alter north. We were still to the north of the Bahamas latitude. Why not south?"

"Two reasons. The first is that the storm approached us from our port quarter, and with the prevailing pattern, we anticipated it would be tracking west. If we had altered southward, we would have sailed more directly into its path."

"So north to sail away from it." She nodded. "Why not directly north to move away faster?"

"That would have allowed the full strength of the storm to catch us up sooner. By adding some westings as it approached, we gained time."

"And the second reason?"

Aldrick pointed to the chart. "You tell me."

She held on as the ship lurched again, then after a short examination of the plot, she looked up and smiled. "Southward would take us toward these islands with little idea of where we were."

"Precisely. You will make a fine navigator."